Olifants River – Above Strijdom Tunnel

About

45 km wilderness trip through a deep, steep-sided gorge. Penge to Manoutsa (below the Strijdom tunnel). Most paddlers take 2 days; 3 days possible to explore the dry kloofs feeding the Olifants. Day 1: mild. Long flat pools and mostly small rapids, except one long narrow rapid cutting through stone. Several beaches make good camps. Day 2: the whitewater. Final 12 km from Mabinz to Manoutsa - plenty of challenging rapids with reasonable pools between, a few touching class 4. Mabinz is also an alternative put-in for a one-day trip to the same take-out. Hazards: - Lone hippo in the pool above the weir at the take-out. Flow is largely independent of dam release (Loskop Dam is far upstream).

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